Safety razor



March 14, 1933.

C. E. GODSHALK SAFETY RAZOR Filed March 14, 1932 INV EN TOF? Clarence flG'adsfiajzf:

W/T/VESS HTTOHNEY Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES CLARENCE A.GODSHALK, OF

SAFETY Application filed. March 14,

This invention relates to safety razors and more particularly to aconstruction wherein the pivoted top or cover of the razor maybe liftedor opened to expose the blade without 5 disconnecting the blade from therazor.

The object of this invention is to provide a razor, the interior ofwhich is readily accessible and in which the blade is retained securelyattached to the frame or holder structure when the razor is'opened toexpose the inner surface of the razor and the blade for cleaning andsharpening purposes.

A further object of this invention is to provide between the main razorblade support or seat and the top or cover therefor, a blade retainer inwhich a standard razor blade is firmly held when the top or cover is inits open or in its closed position.

A further object of this invention is to flexibly attach a razor bladeretainer to the pivoted top or cover of a razor in such a manner thatthe razor blade retainer and the blade held therein are advancedsubstantially forwardly to bring the cutting edge of the blade in thefront edge of the rigid razor blade support of the razor so that theedge of the blade can be wiped or dressed (honed or stropped) withoutremoving the blade from the razor and the blade retainer and the blademounted thereon are retracted from said'advanced position to the propercutting position by the simple closing of the top or cover down upon theblade.

A further object of this invention is to provide a razor with a springor tension device which bears upon the blade retainer when the razor isin its closed position for use in shaving, to take up any backlash orlooseness in the connections between the blade retainer and the coverand between the cover and the rigid portion of the razor to hold theblade firmly stationary with respect to the rigid support when the razoris used for shaving.

A further object of this invention is to provide a razor structure whichis adapted to cooperate with a power driven razor sharpener of thecharacter disclosed and claimed in 50 an application for Letters Patentof the United States, Serial No. 596,176, filed by me and David Behrsingof the city and county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania asjoint inventors, on the second day 0 March, 1932. Q

Further objects of this invention will appear in the specification andclaims below;

Referring to the drawing forming apart of this specification and inwhich the same reference characters are employed throughout the variousviews to designate the same parts,

Fig.1 is a vertical sectional view of the essential parts of my improvedrazor, the same being shown in its open position;

'Fig. 2 is a like vertical sectional view of the top of the razor inclosed position, as it is when in use for shaving; I I f Fig. 3 is aplan sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1 showing in plan view therazor blade, the blade retainerand the link connection between the bladeretainer andthe cover ortop;a nd i Fig. 4 is'a fragmentary frontelevational view of the top of the handle and the lower part of therigid blade support with the springs mounted thereon and operative tohold the top or cover in its open or in its closed position andto imposea tension or yielding pressure on the blade retainer.

The razor embodying my invention oomprises the ordinary cylindricalhandle 1 to the top of which is firmly secured a rigid member 2preferably composed of 'a stiff metalsheet stamped, comprising in themain a back plate 8, a curved top portion 4, an inner wall 5 and aforwardlyextending seat or bottom 6 which, is provided with the usualseries of slots or cuts 7 and'with the downturned lip or flange 8. 1 V VThe bottom or seat 6 is preferably longi- 9O tudinally curved ordepressed below the side rails or bars 9, but adjacent the inner wall 5,the rails and the portion of the bottom therebetween merge into a curvedposition 10 rising slightly above the upper level of the side rails toform a fiat seat 11 for the blade retainer referred to below. Theopposite side edges of the rigid member 2 are providedwith integral lugsor pins 12 on which the top or to a closed position and vice versa.

cover 13 is pivoted to be swung from an open 17 17 located adjacent therear low'ercorners of the lid or cover 13. With respect to the plane ofthe blade supporting plate or rails 9, the axis of the pivotalconnection between v the links 16 and the cover 13 is lower than theaxis of the pivotal connection between the cover 13 and the rigid member2, with the result that the blade retainer 14, to which the links 16 arealso pivoted, will advance as the lid or closure 13 is being raised andwill be retracted as it is being closed.

- The blade retainer 14 is provided at its votheredge with an undercutslot 18 extending the full length thereof for the reception of a therear thickened back edge 19 of the'other- .wise thin blade 20 having acutting edge 21. The back edge 19 of the blade fits into the enlargedundercut portion of the slot 18 and I the thin blade itself fits in thenarrower front portion of said slot projecting outwardly forwardlytherefrom. The backedge 19 may be longitudinally slid into the said slot18 and may be fixedly held therein by friction or by any other suitablemeans.

The blade retainer14 slides forwardly with its ends resting on the siderails 9 as the top is raised, to advance the cutting edge 21 of theblade well beyond the forward edge of the seat or bottom 6 andrearwardly as the top is closed to retract said retainer and blade to aposition wherein the cutting edge of the blade also rests on the siderails 9 and over the slots or cuts 7.

As the blade retainer 14 nears the rearmost limit of its said motion, itrides upwardly over the curved portion 10 of the bottom, thus tiltingthe retainer 14 to bring the cutting edge 21 of the blade 20 intocontact with the seat 11. In this position, the top or cover 13 isclosed and the cutting edge 21 of the blade isfirmly. pressed againstthe rails 9 by the forward edge 22 of the top or cover 13.

l To permit the links 16 to pass the inner wall 5 as the coveror'top 13is swung on itspivot pins, the side edges of the inner wall 5 areprovidedwith notches or recesses 23, a little deeper than the thicknessof the links 16.

To retain the top or closure 13 in its open and in its closed positionsto the back plate 3, is riveted a spring plate 24 having two arms 2525extending from the sides thereof upwardly and forwardly and thenlaterally andterminating in spring plates 2626, which respectively lieflat and firmlypress against the bottom side edges 2727 of the top 13when the cap or top is in its closed position. When the top is beingraised, the

said spring plates 26 are depressed by the curved rear edges 28 of thesides 29. Since the side edges 28 are in advance of the pivots 12-12 ofthe cap 13 when the said cap is in its open position, the spring plates26 pressing against the rear ends 30 of the sides 29 of the cap hold therear edge 31 of the top of the cap firmly, pressed against the uppersurface of the curved portion of the rigid member 2.

The rear end of the cap 13 is open except as it maybe partially closedby the curved top portion 4 of the rigid member 2 and it .is providedwith a thumb piece 32 extending rcarwardly and slightly upwardly toenable the user of the razor to open and close the top by pressingagainst thesaid thumb piece 32. To permit of this movement of the thumbpiece, the curved portion 4 of the said rigid member is provided with anample opening 33.

The spring plate 24 is also provided with. an intermediate verticallyextending spring '34terminating in a rcarwardly projecting lip or flange35 which firmly presses against the lower end of a stiff spring lever36, said end being heldfirmlypressed against the front side of the backplate 3 by the resiliency ofthe spring 34. At the lower" end of thelever 36 is a lip 01' flange 37 making a decided angle with the adjacentportion of said lever and projecting generally forwardly therefrom, thelip 35 of said spring 34 bearing against the said lever 36 at or close'to the angle between said lever 36 and said lip 37. The said springlever 36 extends upwardly and forwardly and its upper .end 38 extendsinto a slot 39 in the top of the cover 13. The lever 36 is preferablyprovided with a bent portion 40 to the rear of the inner wall 5 butspaced therefrom to' 5 15161:

ingly press against the rear edge of a lug or projection 41 extendingrearwardly from the blade retainer 14 through an opening 42 side rails 9when the blade retainer. is on its :through the Said Wan lVhen thelid orcover 13 is closed and the blade retainer is inits rearmost position onthe seat-11, the lever 36' is arranged to bear with a yielding-pressureagainst'said lug or projection 31 by reason of the pressure of the lip35 on the spring 34 upon the lip or flange 37 of the lever 36 with theupper end 38 of the said lever out of contact with the forward end ofthe slot 39. But when the lid is being swung to its raised position,the. forward edge of the said slot 39 engages the upper end38 of saidlever 36 and the lever 36 will be swung upwardly and'rearwardly rockingon the outside of the angle made by the lip 35 and immediately prior tothe confirmly pressed against the curved portion 4 of the rigid member2.

This yielding pressure of the lever 36 against the lug or projection 41is for the purpose of taking up any looseness or backlash that may existin the linkages by means of which the blade retainer 14 is connected tothe lid or cover 13 and between the cover 13 and its pivots or lugs 12,thus holding the blade fixedly in position when the raise is being used.v

In order to sharpen or clean the razor blade 20, the user firstthrower-the top or cover 13 of the razor on its pivot pins to its openposition by pressing the thumb piece 32. In so doing, the blade 20fixedly held in the blade retainer 14 slides forwardly with the bladeretainer until the cutting edge 21 of the blade projects well beyond thelip or flange 8 on the bottom or seat 6. If he wishes to hone or stropthe razor he merely inserts the blade, still retained in the bladeholder, into the sharpening machine, such as is shown in the said.copending application above referred to, the holder or retainer 13 beingoperative to prevent the blade from being drawn inwardly too far betweenthe rollers.

If he merely wishes to clean the razor he may allow hot running water toflow over the enire inner surface of the razor, both sides of the blade20 and blade retainer 14 being accessible by reason of the loose linkedcon nection between the retainer 14 and the top or cover 13. In so doingthe blade 20 is still retained within the retainer 14. It does not 'fallout of the razor and one is no? liable to cut himself on the blade thusfirmly mounted in the holder as he would be were the blade loose andrequiring the manual removal of the blade from the holder in ord r toclean the blade and the holder.

To properly position the cutting edge of the blade with respect to theholder in position for shaving, the operator merely has to push on thethumb piece 32 or on the top of the cover and close the same, for inclosing the cover the rotary movement of the cover draws the links 16and the blade retainer rearwardly until the lug or projection 41projects through the opening 42 in the inner wall and the retainer 14 ison its seat 11 in front of the rear wall 5. When fully closed, the frontedge 22 of the top or cover 13 presses hard against the upper side ofthe blade due to the tension and pressure of the spring plates 26against the bottom side edges 27 of the top or cover.

But in swinging to that position the upper end 38 of the lever 36bearing lightly against the top of the cover 13 follows it downwardlybearing harder and harder against it as the pressure of the lip on thelip 37 increases due to the rotary movement of the lever about tact ofthe edge 22 of the cover with the blade, the lug 41 of the bladeretainer 14 moves into engagement with the bent portion 40 of the lever36 and bears with a yielding pressureon the said projection or lug 41sufficient to take i up the looseness or backlash between the retainer14'and its links 16, between said links 16 and its pivot pins 17 andbetween the cover 13 and its pivot pins 12.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim and desire to protect byLetters Patent of the United States is:

I 1. In a razor, the combination of a handle, a rigid member rising fromsaid handle longitudinally thereof and then projecting laterallytransverse to the axis of said handle to form a rigid blade supportingplate, a cover, a pivotal connection between said cover and said rigidmember, the axis of said pivotal connection being substantially spacedabove the plane. of said blade supporting plate, a 1

blade retaining member normally resting on said blade supporting plateandextending transversely thereof, means to fixedly hold a razor bladein said retaining member with the.

cuttingedge-of said blade projecting forwardly therefrom, a pivotalconnection between said retaining member and said cover, the axis ofwhich connection is belowthat of the pivotal connection of said cover tosaid rigid member whereby when the front edge of said cover is beingraised, said blade retaining member and theblade carried thereby slideforwardly on said blade supporting plate to bring the cutting edge ofsaid blade forward and clear of'the front edge'of said bladesupportingmember and whereby when said cover is being closed said bladeretaining member slides rearwardly on said supporting member to positionthe blade adjacent the front edge of said blade supporting member.

2. "In a razor, the combination of a handle,

a rigid member rising from said handle longitudinally thereof and thenprojectinglaterally transverse to'the axis of said handle to form arigid blade supporting plate, a cover,

low that of the pivotal connection of said.

cover to said rigid member whereby when the front edge of said cover isbeing raised, said blade retaining member and 'the blade carried therebyare slid forwardly on said blade supporting plate to bring the cuttingedge of said blade forward and clear of the front edge position;

of said blade supportingmemb er and wherelongitudinally from one end ofsaid handle and then projecting laterally transverse to the axis of saidhandle to form a rigid blade supporting plate, a cover, a pivotalconnection between the rear end of said cover and said ri'gidmember, theaxis of which pivotal connection is spaced above the planeof said bladesupporting plate, a blade supporting member comprising a bar, and meansto fixedly secure a razor to said bar with the blade projectingforwardly therefrom, the ends of said bar being permanently pivotallyconnected to the sides of said cover respectively at points on an axisbelow the axis of said pivotal connection between said cover and saidrigid member, and means to firmlyhold said cover stationary in its openand closed 4. In a razor, the combination of a handle, a rigid barsecured to the end thereof extending longitudinally therefrom and thenprojecting laterally transverse to the axis of said handle to form arigid blade supporting plate, a cover pivotally attached to said rigidmember on an axis substantially above thevplane of said blade supportingplate, a

blade retainer comprising a bar and means to fixedly hold a razor bladetherein with the edge of said blade projecting forwardly therefrom, apair of links, each respectively having one end pivotally attached toone end of'said bar respectively and the other end of said linkspivotally connected to the sides of said top'respectively on an axisbelow the axis of the pivotal connection of said cover to'said rigidmember, and yielding means to -=hold said cover in its open and in itsclosed position. I

5,. In a razor, the combination of a handle,

I a rigid blade supporting member fixedly secured to said handle andprojecting laterally transverse to the axis of said handle, a cover,

a pivotal connection between said cover and said blade supportingmember, a blade re- .taining member normally resting on said bladesupporting member, means to fixedly hold a razor blade in said retainingmember withthe cutting edge of the blade projecting forwardly therefrom,means connecting said cover and said blade retaining member andoperative to slide said retaining member cutting edge of said bladeforwardly clear of and beyond the front edge of said blade supportingmember when said cover is being raised and to retract said bladeretaining member and said blade carried thereby to' bring the cuttingedge of. said blade into shavin relationship with respect to the frontedge o said blade supporting member when said cover is being closed. i

'6. In a razor, the combination of a handle, a rigid blade supportingmember fixedly secured to said handle and projecting laterallytransverse to the axis of said handle, a cover, a pivotal connectionbetween said cover and said blade supporting member, a blade retainingmember normally resting on said blade supporting member, means tofixedly hold a razor. blade in said retaining member with the cuttingedge of the blade projecting forwardly therefrom, means connecting saidcover and said blade retaining memher and operative to slide saidretaining member and the blade carried thereby forwardly on said bladesupporting member to bring the cutting edge of said blade ,forwardlyclear of and beyond the front edge of said blade supporting member whensaid cover is being raised and to retract said blade retaining memberand said blade carried thereby to bring the cutting edge of said bladeinto shaving relationship with respect CLARENCE A. GODSHALK;

